Self-immolation of a rape victim before a police station

PAKISTAN: The self-immolation of a rape victim
before a police station demonstrates the popular frustration
about the breakdown of discipline

A girl commits
suicide by self-immolation after her rapists bribed the
police to release them. The state institutions remained as
silent spectators

The Asian Human Rights Commission has
received information that an 18 year old student died in
hospital after setting herself on fire in the front of a
hospital, in Muzzafargarh, Punjab province where the chief
minister of the province refers to himself as the
‘Khadim-e-Aala’, the servant of the people. The victim
was among the hundreds of girls who are gang raped by
powerful people every year.

The girl set fire to herself
in protest against the injustice done to her on March 13 and
she died in the Nishtar Hospital in Multan today.

Amna was
gang raped by four persons on January 5 and since then
authorities, instead of providing her justice supported the
rapists. They are influential persons of the area, and the
police exonerated them from the rape charges. The victim had
lodged a First Information Report (the FIR), stating that
she was on her way to college when the accused, Nadir Khan
and his four accomplices gang-raped her near the Bait Mir
Hazar Chowk. The police Sub- Inspector (SI) Zulfiqar, the
investigation officer, conducted an investigation and
declared the main accused, Nadir Khan, innocent after taking
a bribe. The high police officers, including district police
officer (DPO), Deputy Superintendent of Police and the
Station House Officer (SHO) first refused to send a report
request to the hospital for her medical test. After the
protests from civil society and victim’s family the police
sent the request to the hospital and the rape was confirmed
by the medical report. The investigation official set the
accused free despite proof of the crime in the medical
report.

When Amna learned about the release of the accused
she set herself on fire outside the police station. Despite
the fact that Amna intentions were clear no officer from the
station made any effort to stop her or assist her in any
way. She was taken to the Tehsil Heaquarter Hospital, Jatoi,
but due to the severity of her burns and her critical
condition the doctors referred her to Nishtar Hospital
Multan. The doctors said that Amna had suffered 70 percent
burn injuries. She died in the hospital the following day. A
strong protest was observed throughout the country after the
news of her death was received.

When the Chief Justice of
Pakistan, Mr. Jillani, received notice of Amna’s death he
called for the administration to report on the causes of the
negligence on the part of the provincial government and
police for not providing justice to the 18 year old girl.
The Khadim-e-Aala, the chief minister of the province, after
receiving the news of the action from the Supreme Court,
immediately ordered the arrest of the investigation officer
and rapists. So far, one of the prime accused has been
arrested along with investigation officer.

Today marks a
day of shame for a country where the civilian government and
police failed to protect the member of a gender that is
suppressed at best. The corrupt action of the police
officers involved led to the senseless death of an innocent
girl who had the courage to file a report in a country where
the rape of any women is considered to have been her own
fault.

This is a blatant example of the failure of the
rule of law which, apparently only applies to the wealthy
and influential. Rape is prevalent in Pakistan there was a
notable increase during the military regime of President
(former general) Musharraf and is virtually sanctioned by
the failure of the officials and the state itself to punish
the perpetrators. This, of course, is an area of major
concern for the international human rights community and
women’s rights groups. Another cause is the increase in
Islamic fundamentalism wherein it is taught that women are
to be considered as mere chattels.

This is also a failure
of the criminal justice system that is gender biased and
male dominated which provides protection to any man when the
victim is a woman. The case of Amna is ample proof that
after receiving all the evidence by way of the medical
report to support her claim of rape, the police and the
administration went to such extent as to crush the law
beneath their boots spit in the eyes of society. By
exonerating the rapists after receiving their bribes they
were more responsible for her death than the rapists
themselves.

Amna’s case has seen so much coverage in the
media but the chief minister of the province and his cabinet
members have been not moved by her plight. This itself is
proof positive of their uncaring and self-centered attitude
towards that part of the community they are supposed to be
serving. When the attitude of the authorities is such it is
apparent that they have no respect for the rule of
law.

Amna’s case is symbolic of the popular frustration
in Pakistan about the breakdown of discipline in the
country. No institution is function as expected and, in
fact, everything has broken down shamelessly. The government
of Pakistan and the entire political establishment
contributes to this complete collapse of discipline by their
refusal to take any serious notice of the situation. In
fact, it is the government and the political establishment
that should take the blame for the widespread rape and other
harassments to women and every form of violence that
paralyses the population. Murder not only goes unpunished
but murderers are rewarded. Pakistan’s political community
does nothing to stop this situation. It is the duty of civil
society and the media in particular to wake up to the
societal catastrophe that makes ifs women and all others its
helpless
victims.

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